Aftermath
by WayLowHalo
Summary: S06E01: Zod. After his fight with Lex/Zod, Clark contemplates his former friend and tries to decide what he should do next.


_**Disclaimer** : _Smallville _is still not mine. More's the pity. This story is just for fun and not in any way, shape or form for profit._

 **Aftermath**

Slowly Clark got to his feet, feeling the various aches and pains from the fight... the aches and pains that were thankfully healing quickly now. Zod had crumpled to the ground and Clark was pretty sure he was just Lex now. He'd seen... something... being forced out.

The shadowy figure of a man, fighting to stay...

 _Zod._

Clark sighed, staring down at Lex, unconscious at his feet.

He would have to do something about Lex. That was becoming increasingly clear.

Maybe Lex wouldn't remember what had happened while Zod was in control though. He could hope, right?

Meanwhile he would just have to wait and see.

 _"I'm the one that's gonna kill you, Clark."_

Lex hadn't been himself.

He didn't have to make any decisions right now. What could he do anyway? It's not like he could just kill Lex and be done with it.

He'd proven that.

Proven he couldn't kill him.

Couldn't bring himself to take that step. Not to Lex.

 _"I wanted everything you had! At least I walked away with the thing that meant the most to you."_

Clark took a steadying breath.

Lex hadn't been himself. He'd been drunk with power and... not himself.

And maybe he didn't trust Lex anymore, maybe he didn't even _like_ him anymore... but to think that the only reason they had been friends had been self-loathing and jealousy... well, Clark didn't believe that.

He refused to believe it.

Lex had been his best friend and their friendship had been stronger than hate and wanting what the other had.

It had meant _more_.

 _"Our friendship is going to be the stuff of legend."_

Lex groaned and Clark forced his attention back to the present and away from the stabbing ache in his gut, the ache that had nothing to do with the fight with Zod.

He should probably get Lex to the hospital. In his experience humans and alien powers didn't mix so well. Fighting down a jolt of worry at that thought Clark bent and lifted his one time friend into his arms.

Lex groaned again, eyelids fluttering. "Clark?"

"I'm here, Lex," Clark told him reluctantly as Lex's fingers clenched in his shirt.

"Clark, don't... go..."

The billionaire's eyes closed again and with that he slipped back into unconsciousness, hand still gripping Clark's shirt.

Clark stood, frozen, Lex cradled against his chest.

That hadn't been a reaction he had expected.

Anger, hostility, hate... those he had come to expect. It didn't make seeing them directed at him and from Lex any easier but... he expected it. It was the way things were now.

Vulnerability, fear... the raw _need_ he'd heard just now... Clark squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to take a deep breath.

If Lex had been at all in control he never would have let Clark see that.

Not now.

Not anymore.

 _The hospital._ He had to get Lex to the hospital. Had to check on his mother and Lionel. On Chloe. There were people that needed him.

With that thought in mind he glanced down to make sure Lex was still unconscious before he sped off.

* * *

The hospital was packed.

"I need some help here!" Clark called, locating an empty stretcher in the hallway and lowering Lex onto it. Lex's hand was still clenched into his shirt though and when he went to straighten up he found he couldn't. Heart heavy, Clark gently unclenched his former friend's fingers.

 _"Don't go."_

Lex wouldn't want him here when he woke. When he was back in control... when he was himself again... he wouldn't want Clark... wouldn't want Clark to see him like this... to be here.

"What happened to him?" a doctor asked, appearing at his side.

"I'm not sure," Clark lied. "I found him unconscious. I don't know what happened."

Gently he rested Lex's hand on the stretcher beside him.

If he thought Lex would welcome his presence... but he wouldn't.

Not when he was awake.

Not when he knew what was happening.

 _"Don't go."_

Thanks to Zod Smallville and Metropolis were in shambles. People needed him.

There were things he could do to help.

 _"Don't go."_

He couldn't stay.

\- End.


End file.
